South Nekturian
<< Back to Conlangs Characteristics The Southern variant of the Nekturian language follows two opposite ways when we compare phonology to morphology: while it is phonologically revolutionary, its morphology (and syntax too) follow exactly the same Proto-Nekturian pattern. The changes in phonology involve basically an oversimplification of vowels: only a''', '''i and u''', both short and long, remain. The vowels '''e, o''' and '''ö all turn to a', while 'ü turns to i'''. Syllabic consonants '''R, L''', '''M and N''' also resist, but are mostly realized as a regular consonant followed or preceded by the vowel '''a: R''' -> '''ar/'ra' etc. *The consonant z''' turns to ''' , that is like English th in words like theme, theater. *The consonant k''' turns to '''ky, while g''' turns to '''gy. *The consonant kw turns to k''', while '''gw turns to g'. Phonology Consonants Vowels Vowels are: Morphology Nouns There are three gender of nouns: masculine, feminine and neuter. Nouns are declined according to three numbers: singular, dual and plural, and to ten cases, viz.: #Nominative (subject) #Accusative (direct object) #Dative (indirect object) #Ablative #Genitive (possessive) #Locative #Commitative (company) #Instrumental #Vocative #Ergative (agent for passive voice) Noun declension is extremely regular, with no exceptions. Masculine Nouns | |} Feminine Nouns | |} Neuter Nouns | |} Adjectives Adjectives are declined exactly the same way as nouns. Each adjective inflects for gender, number and case. There are adjectives with "free" theme and those with theme in '-i. E.g., mupph-''' is a "free" theme adjective, while 'kalamti-' is an adjective with theme in '''-i. The only difference is that this '-i' merges with a following i''' when am ending containing this vowel is added. Mupphu, muppha, mupphi "new", "young" | | |} Kalamtiu, kalamtia, kalamti "great" | | |} Comparative Form Superiority The suffix '-âul-' is added to the stem of the adjective, resulting in a new adjective. Ex.: *'''kalamtiu "large", kalamtiâulu "larger" *'mupphu' "new", mupphâulu "newer" *'punnu' "good", punnâulu "better" Equality Inferiority Superlative The suffix '-âdhân-' is added to the stem of the adjective, resulting in a new adjective. Ex.: *'kalamtiu' "large", kalamtiâdhânu "the largest" *'mupphu' "new", mupphâdhânu "the newest" *'punnu' "good", punnâdhânu "the best" Pronouns Pronouns follow the same declension system used for nouns and adjectives, with little differences in some forms. Personal Although there are dual forms for all pronouns, they were not always used, plural forms being preferred. Dual forms were used mostly when the speaker wanted to emphasize the fact that the elements were exactly two. 1st and 2nd person pronouns have special forms, while the 3d person pronoun follows the regular noun endings. 1st and 2nd Person Pronuns | |} Possessive Possessive pronouns are declined like any other adjective. Demonstrative *'iddhiu, -a, -i' "this" (very near) *'hi du, -a, -i' "this" (not so near) *'agyîru, -a, -i' "that" (far) *'hu, ha, hi' "this", "that" and also "the" These follow the regular nominal declension. The form hu, ha, hi is used in expressions like hi dhâtati "the (capital) city", hi pâri "the beautiful (things)" = "beauty", hu bhaladiu "the strong one", hi tâsiti "that (what was) said". Interrogative *'ghîu' "what" *'ghânu' "who" *'gyaharu' "which" *'gyûnanga' "how" *'hamtiar' "where" *'gyohamtuar' "when" Relative *'ghîu' "that" *'ghânu' "who" Indefinite *'harkyannnu' "some", "any" *'mamâhannu' "no", "none" *'duttu' "all", "every" *'ghattu' "each", "every" Numbers Cardinal Numbers *0 dhâlu *1 hannu, -a, -i *2 tuwâddu , -a , -i *3 daldhas *4 gyohadal *5 dhamgyu *6 ihâddhas *7 dhâdi *8 uhâdu *9 mûphi *10 tâddhas *11 hantâddhas *12 tuwâtâddhas *13 daldhatâddhas *14 gyahadaltâddhas *15 dhamgyutâddhas *16 ihâdtâddhas *17 dhâditâddhas *18 uhâdutâddhas *19 mûphitâddhas *20 phamdi *21 phamdi hannu *30 dalamde *40 gyahalamda *50 dhâmgyahamda *60 ihâddhamda *70 dhâdamda *80 uhâdamda *90 mûphamda *100 dhânu Ordinal Numbers Ordinal numbers are regular adjectives. *1 balnihâlu, -a, -i *2 dhîkyamdu, -a, -i *3 daldhîhâlu, -a, -i *4 gohaldu, -a, -i *5 dhamgyamdu, -a, -i *6 ihâddhu, -a, -i *7 dhâdânu, -a, -i *8 uhâdapphu, -a, -i *9 mûphimmu, -a, -i *10 tâddhânu, -a, -i Conjunctions Coordinating *'ghaya' "for" *'hî', gyay "and" *'mahan' "nor" *'dhât', na , bûlan "but" *'uha' "or" *'ihamtad' "yet" *'addhâna' "so" Correlative *'hanpu /a /i … hi … ' "both … and … " *'uha … uha … ' "either … or … " *'mahan … mahan … ' "neither … nor … " *'mawu … dhat … ' "not … but … " *'maddhu … danpan … ' "not only … but also … " Subordinating *'tibuhâd' "after" *'gyamdat' "although" *'dhî' "if" *'iddhâd' "unless" *'ghîuky' "so that" *'baldamda' "therefore" *'habbîsal' "in spite of", "despite" *'ghaya' "because" Verbs Nekturian verbs present quite a challenge to the memory. However, the fact that there is almost no irregular verb comes to the relief of those learning the language. In the standard form of the language there are really no irregular verbs. Some irregularities appear only in some local variants of the language. Concepts Each verb is inflected for two voices, three moods (four if we take the imperative in account). Each mood has ten tenses. For each tense, the verb is inflected for three persons and three numbers. So, in theory, each verb has 2*3*10*3*3 = 540 forms, plus 3*3 forms for the imperative, one form for the infinitive and 10 forms of participle, so 540 + 9 + + 1 + 10 = 560 forms. In practice, many of these forms are not used (e.g., the pluperfect conditional of the passive voice, something like "he would have had been seen"), but the number of actually employed forms is indeed large, as the language prefers synthetic verb forms rather than phrasal constructions. *'Voices': Active and Passive *'Moods': Indicative, Subjunctive, Conditional *'Tenses': Present, Present Continuous, Perfective, Aorist, Imperfective, Pluperfect, Past Continuous, Future, Future Perfect, Future Continuous *'Persons': 1st, 2nd and 3rd *'Numbers': Singular, Dual and Plural Each verb has a root that is expanded with a thematic vowel (e', 'â or i'). To this theme (root+vowel) are added tense and personal suffixes. E.g.: *'bher-a-ø-um->'bhereum' "I speak" (root, vowel, present tense indicative, 1st person singular) *'bher-a-pha-nû '->'bherephenû ' "we were speaking" (root, vowel, past continuous indicative, 1st person plural) *'bher-a-ton-kya'->'bheretonkya' "it was spoken" (root, vowel, aorist indicative passive, 3st person singular) Sample Conjugation: Phâtiolu "see" Here is the full conjugation of the verb phât-i-olu "see". For other verbs, just change the root (in this case, phât-''') and the thematic vowel (-i-''' in this case). Active Voice Indicative =Present = =Present Continuous = =Perfective = =Aorist = =Imperfective = =Pluperfect = =Past Continuous = =Future = =Future Perfect = =Future Continuous = Subjunctive =Present = =Present Continuous = =Perfective = =Aorist = =Imperfective = =Pluperfect = =Past Continuous = =Future = =Future Perfect = =Future Continuous = Conditional =Present = =Present Continuous = =Perfective = =Aorist = =Imperfective = =Pluperfect = =Past Continuous = =Future = =Future Perfect = =Future Continuous = Participle =Present = *'phât-i-amdiu' =Present Continuous = *'phât-i-amtu' =Perfective = *'phât-i-tu' =Aorist = *'phât-i- tu' =Imperfective = *'phât-i-ttiu' =Pluperfect = *'phât-i-lannu' =Past Continuous = *'phât-i-tannu' =Future = *'phât-i-dalu' =Future Perfect = *'phât-i-lattu' =Future Continuous = *'phât-i-lanniu' Imperative Passive Voice Indicative =Present = =Present Continuous = =Perfective = =Aorist = =Imperfective = =Pluperfect = =Past Continuous = =Future = =Future Perfect = =Future Continuous = Subjunctive =Present = =Present Continuous = =Perfective = =Aorist = =Imperfective = =Pluperfect = =Past Continuous = =Future = =Future Perfect = =Future Continuous = Conditional =Present = =Present Continuous = =Perfective = =Aorist = =Imperfective = =Pluperfect = =Past Continuous = =Future = =Future Perfect = =Future Continuous = Participle =Present = *'phât-i-yau' =Present Continuous = *'phât-i-mtayu' =Perfective = *'phât-i-tayu' =Aorist = *'phât-i- tayu' =Imperfective = *'phât-i-ttayu' =Pluperfect = *'phât-i-layu' =Past Continuous = *'phât-i-tayu' =Future = *'phât-i-dayu' =Future Perfect = *'phât-i-ltayu' =Future Continuous = *'phât-i-lnayu' Imperative Vocabulary *Swadesh List: Here we give the Swadesh List for South Nekturian. Sample *"Duttuddhas ûnanuddhas maddhiyanga râphliuddhas, tâkmâtatum hî tâlihâdundhas. Agyîragdhas lasawa hî gam âham âha, ghay tiphinga ashâlu hannu uhadluk i bâlâdubba hulnamtatik." **''("All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.")''